Nue pour l'assassin

Being considered among the sleaziest and least of the gialli – not that surprising given the involvement of director Bianchi, who would later be responsible for MALABIMBA (1979) – had made me forego the opportunity of purchasing this film's Blue Underground DVD (where it was dubbed in English anyway); I've now acquired it in the original language, though with the picture compromised in its case (where the 2.35:1 aspect ratio has been opened up to 1.85:1)! While I can certainly concede it's no hidden gem within this prolific genre (especially since it puts much more emphasis on eroticism than bloodshed), the film proved surprisingly palatable as these things go. As ever, we get a plethora of gorgeous women who are made to fight for their lives against the killer and shed their clothes at every possible opportunity: these include genre stalwarts Edwige Fenech – playing her last such heroine – and Femi Benussi – at her sexiest – as well as Solvi Stubing, later the presenter of a 1980s TV program reviewing then-current films on general release in Italy!; there's also an effective score by Berto Pisano (not one of the major names associated with the giallo style but his work here is nonetheless commendable). The plot is nothing to write home about either, that is to say, overly familiar: a handful of people engaged with a modeling agency are targeted by a manic killer sporting a black leather outfit and with facial features hidden behind a crash helmet; it all seems to be connected with an abortion gone wrong which actually opens the film. Typically, then, we're given the choice of numerous suspects – including Nino Castelnuovo, who makes for a rather unsavory leading man for this type of film (although his foul-mouthed outbursts are highly entertaining) – but the final revelation and accompanying motive aren't exactly thrilling (even if I have to admit of being aware of it beforehand from online reviews). As I said, the level of violence seen here isn't too high (where there's gore, it's usually unconvincing and sometimes unlikely – for instance, a castration) and repetitive besides (the same weapon is used every time); the nudity (ranging from scenes depicting lesbianism, the near-rape of a model by an obese and impotent fellow and the concluding light-hearted[!] suggestion of sodomy to avert the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy) is mainly gratuitous, but certainly not lamentable whenever it involves either Fenech or Benussi (the uneasy reaction of a Police Inspector's assistant at her unabashed appearance during an interrogation scene is priceless).

While "Nude per l'assassino" aka. "Strip Nude For Your Killer" of 1975 is quite far away from being a Giallo-highlight it is definitely a film that any lover of Italian Horror should enjoy, and that is especially recommended to all the friends of the sleazier kind of Giallo. Director Andrea Bianchi, who is probably best known for his gory Zombie flick "Le Notti Del Terrore" (aka. "Burial Ground") of 1981, sure knows how to create some wonderful sleaze, and "Strip Nude For Your Killer" is as wonderfully sleazy as it gets.

Sexy young models, all with exhibitionist tendencies, as well as the other employees of a fashion agency, are targeted by an insane killer. Nothing quite new in the Giallo-genre, of course, but director Bianchi truly delivers with tons of female nudity, delightful perversions and genuine nastiness in this one. The female cast-members, all of which have a tendency to get naked at every occasion, include genre-queen Edwige Fenech, this time with short hair, and ravishing and great as always. Apart from the wonderful Mrs. Fenech, easily the Nr. 1 siren of 70s Eurosleaze, the cast also includes the stunningly beautiful Femi Benussi, who moved her curves through all kinds of Italian cult flicks, such as Mario Bava's "Hatchet for the Honeymoon", Fernando Di Leo's "Manhunt", Luigi Cozzi's "The Killer Must Kill Again" or the strangely amusing Kung-Fu-Western "The Stranger And The Gunfighter" starring Lee Van Cleef. Apart from loads of sleaze the film includes several violent killings, several comical moments, as well as a typically great Giallo atmosphere with a stylish photography and cool score. Overall, "Strip Nude For Your Killer" is probably no must-see, but it is doubtlessly a treat for my fellow Giallo-fans, especially to those who like their Gialli sleazy. Highly recommended!

Very watchable giallo, which as the English title suggests, wallows in nudity and sex (much of it with a seeming wink to the audience). Stylistically and plot-wise, it's pretty much giallo-by-numbers, with the expected camera and editing flourishes and some fairly good suspense. There are plenty of point-of-view shots of the heavy-breathing masked killer, shock cuts, lots of red herrings and obscure motivations, etc. However, it's the outrageous political incorrectness of it all that separates this one from the mainstream -- the male characters are all cranky and abusive and the females are eager to shed their duds in response. Certainly a must-see for Edwige Fenech fans, and the fade-out is unbelievably tacky, right out of one of those low-humour Italian comedies. There's also fine score, a mixture of funky Bitches-Brew jazz and woo-woo lounge stylings, which helps bridge the suspense scenes.

I have to admit this movie delivers exactly what it promises--any number of attractive women (and at least one VERY unattractive man) stripping nude for their killer. The featured actress here is Edwige Fenech, and just as in every one her other movies, you pretty much know she is going to strip nude for somebody. She is actually outdone here, however, by the voluptuous Femi Benussi who has only about ten minutes of screen time but spends at least seven minutes of it completely nude and another two and a half squeezed into an ill-fitting bikini.

As other reviewers have noted this movie is pretty politically incorrect which, depending on your temperament, you will either find offensive or ironically amusing. The woman pretty much fall into three categories: dumb, slutty, and dumb AND slutty. Edwige Fenech's character is strangely unperturbed after her lover grabs her by the throat when she implies he might be connected to one of the murder victims. Femi Benussi's character hilariously hops into bed with both men and women literally minutes after meeting them. Another woman stops a guy from raping her by willingly agreeing to have sex with him, then when he gets a little too, um, excited she turns down money he offers for services he was unable to render. The movie has the same tawdry revenge-for-an-abortion-gone-wrong theme of "What Have You Done to Solange?" but the murder victims are adults rather than schoolgirls and the murders themselves are slightly less tasteless. Still this movie sure seems a lot more sleazy than the earlier film because it is not nearly as well acted or directed. Bottom-of-the-barrel gialli like this and the similar "So Sweet, So Dead" manage to be sleazy, moralistic, and of course hypocritical all at the same time. Maybe that's why I enjoy them so much.

The sleazy giallo picture here known as "Strip Nude for Your Killer" (1975) is misleadingly titled (no victim of the crazed killer is ever forced to strip; they're usually 3/4 naked to begin with!) but still manages to convey the film's two main selling points--sex and violence, dished out in fairly equal measure. The movie might more accurately have been called "Who's Been Killing the Entire Staff at Milan's Albatross Modeling Agency?" All we know for sure is that it's a leather-clad figure with a biker's helmet, a Darth Vader-like respiration problem, and a fondness for knife slaying. For the ladies in the audience, the picture features Nino Castelnuovo, so fondly remembered from 1964's "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," still looking hunky here and sporting a perfectly round butt; and for the men, another exquisite appearance from the Queen of Giallo, Edwige Fenech, short-haired here but still quite dee-lish. "Strip Nude" has been directed in a nonstylish, nonflashy manner by Andrea Bianchi. Its plot does hang together, despite the seemingly unavoidable red herrings, though the killer's motivation ultimately proves to be unconvincing (don't even try guessing who the killer is!). There are any number of genuinely suspenseful scenes, though, and the soundtrack, by one Berto Pisano, effectively mixes Euro lounge jazz with a funky theme that suggests the Temps' "Papa Was a Rolling Stone." Of the half dozen or so Edwige Fenech giallos that I've seen recently, this one is by far the bloodiest and sleaziest (just wait till you see the 300+-lb. guy with his blow-up doll!), but still nothing compared to what filmmakers get away with today. The folks at Blue Underground should be thanked for a fine-looking DVD of a true Italian rarity; still, I'd be thanking them more had they supplied some subtitles rather than the lousy dubbing. And oh...was it just my imagination, or was that indeed an anal sex joke that Nino pulls on Edwige at the film's tail end?